Books

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, The Digital Revolution and Schooling in America by Allan Collins and Richard Halverson

Two sides of the arguement: The Technology Enthusiasts vs. The Technology Skeptics
What may be gained and or lost in the "Digital Revolution" in schooling

The Flickering Mind by Todd Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer wrote this book as an investigative report on saving education from the false promise of technology. He is not anti-technology, but writes about having a level-headed approach to incorporating it into a curriculum.
In general, there is a great misuse of computer time in classrooms.
Some teachers approach computer time with no real lesson plan and with improper supervision.
Computers take away from basic "old fashion" teaching techniques -- like counting with beans, paper/pencil math, etc.
Teachers need staggered plans of success for individual students during computer time to avoid boredom and misuse. There needs to be individualized track plans -- complete level A, go to B, etc.
Better technology does not equal better teaching.
With computer usage, there is a greater chance that students will copy another's work.
Simplifying work with a computer takes something away from education -- the option to cut and paste takes away from the learning during the act of writing.
Computers act as "amplifiers" exaggerating both good and bad study habits.
Teacher training on the computer does not always solve technology problems.
Do students really need even more exposure to the media?

Teaching and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences by Linda and Bruce Campbell

Technology to Teach Literacy K-8

I've enjoyed reading the book I chose. There are many interesting lesson ideas that could easily pertain to ESL or Foreign Language. There is an entire chapter that focuses on technology and ESL Literacy which will greatly benefit the Literature class.

The opening chapter about the social-constructivist learning paradigm was a good jumping off point. I've always had trouble subscribing to one single theory and prefer a more eclectic approach. The idea of a combination of direct instruction and "learning by doing/ problem solving" was definitely supported with this reading.